How Mediation Helps Clashing Celebrities Avoid Costly and Embarrassing Public Litigation
variety.comTodd Longwell For every publicly visible and contentious Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard trial, there are dozens more that never see the light of day.
More often than not, a showbiz lawsuit that begins with plaintiff and defendant slinging accusations back and forth in the headlines ends quietly with a below-the-fold story announcing that a confidential settlement has been reached.
Yet, for those players who haven’t been through the process, what goes on behind the scenes remains something of mystery. Such settlements are often achieved through third-party mediation, which, unlike arbitration, never mandates a binding decision.
According to a survey of judges and attorneys published by the American Bar Assn. in December, 2020, mediation is the fairest way to resolve civil cases, followed by jury trials, bench trials and, lastly, arbitration.
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